Game marker dispenser



ug- 29, 1950 s. c. MCDONALD ETAL 2,520,321

GAME MARKER DISPENSER Filed March 18, .1949

IN VEN TORS Se'o LMgDonald ad A TTORNE YS Patented Aug. 29, 1950 UNITEDSTATES PATENT OFFICE.,4

Scott C; McDonald and Frederick A. 301157,. Canton, Ohio ApplicationMarch 18, 1949, Serial N o'. 82,152

4r Claims. l

The invention relates to a dispenser for markers to be placed in variouspositions upon game 'boards or cards, such as are used' in playingKeeno, Lotto and similar gaines in which disc or other shaped markersare used?.

It is an object of the invention to provid-e a tubular dispenser adaptedto contain a plurality or the markers and to automatically dispense amarker at any desired position upon the board or card.

Another object is to provide such a dispenser inwhichV the markers aredispensed, one at a time, by merely pressing the dispenser down upon thedesired location on the board or card.

A further object is to provide a dispenser of the character referred toin which the dispenser includes a tubular container the lower end ofwhich comprises a split, spring collet, a spring loaded sleeve beineslidably mounted upon the tubular container for normally holding thecollet in closed or clampingposition to retain the markers therein,downward movement of th sleeve permitting the collet to open to dispensea marker therefrom.

A still further object of the invention is to provide such a dispenserin which the lower end of the collet has a relieved or enlarged recessto receive a marker when the sleeve is pressed down to open the collet.

The above obiects, toetether with others which will be apparent from thedrawings and following description, or which may be later referred to,may be attained by constructing and operating the improved markerdispenser in the manner hereinafter described in detail, and illustratedin the accompanying drawings, in which;

Fifzure 1 is a detached elevation of the tubular container and collet,forming a part of the dis" penser;

Fig. 2 an elevation of the complete dispenser in the normal position;

Fig. 3 a longitudinal, sectional View through the dispenser, taken as onthe line 3 3, Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 a view similar to Fig. 3, showing the dispenser in the operatedposition;

Fig. 5 a transverse section taken on the line 5 5, Fig. 3; and

Fig. 6 a similar section taken on the line 6 6, Fig. 4.

Now referring more particularly to the structure shown in the drawing,in which similar reference numerals refer to similar parts thoughout, apreferred embodiment of the invention includes the tubular container Ipreferably formed of plastic material, which may be of cylindrical (c1.ias-L) 2 cross section as shown, where the markers are of disc shape.

This tubular container is provided Awith a vsliloulder or rib t l at apoint spaced from its lower end, and the lower end portion of the. tubecomprises a split spring collet, having the enlarged, downwardly'taperedexterior t2, the upper end t3 ofwhich is of substantially the samediameter as the. rib I'l, for a purpose to be later explained in detail.

Three or more longitudinal slots I4 are located through the lower orcollet portion of the tube, extending from the lower end thereof to apoint above the enlarged, tapered portion lf2, and the tube iis formedof material having sufficient spring therein to operate as a collet, aslater explained.

The interior of the tube lil may have a straight, cylindrical bore l5extending from the top. of the tube tu` a point slightly spaced from thelower end thereof, where itV is circumferentially enlarged, as indicatedat 1B', forming a recess of greater diameter than the discshapedfmarkers il, and of a height substantially the thickness of asingle marker.

A sleeve i8, having an inside diameter of proper size to slidably moveover the rib Il, is mounted upon the lower portion of the tube l0, andprovided with the tapered lower end I9 coniol-mine to the taper of thecollet l2.

An externally threaded ring 20 is screwed into the internal threads 2lat the upper end of the sleeve I8, and has an inside perimeter ofsuitable size to slidably fit upon the exterior of the tube I ll.

A coil spring 22 is interposed between this ring and the annular rib Ilupon the tube so as to normally hold the sleeve in the upward position,as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, whereby the tapered lower end i9 of thesleeve has a wedging action upon the tapered, split spring colletportion l2 of the tube, holding the same tightly toffether so as to gripthe lowermost marker l1 in the position shown in Fig. 3. A cap 23 may beplaced upon the top oi the tube Ill, if desired.

When it is desired to place a marker at any desired position upon a gameboard or card, the dispenser is placed upon the card and the sleeve lilpushed downward, as shown in Fig. 4, permitting the spring colletportion I2 of the tube to open suii'iciently to drop the lowermostmarker upon the surface of the board or card, as indicated at Ila, thislowermost marker being received in the enlarged portion t5 of thecollet.

As downward pressure upon the sleeve is released the spring 22 willraise the same to the upper or normal positin shown in Figs. 2 and 3,

gripping the lowermost marker I1 remaining in the tube and leaving themarker lla in position upon the board as the dispenser is raised.

If desired, the lower edge of the collet portion may be scalloped, asshown at 24, providing only a few spaced points of contact between theend of the collet and the game board or card, so as to reduce frictionand permit the collet to readily open when the sleeve IB is depressed.

We claim:

l. A device of the character described comprising a tubular containerfor markers, said tubular container having an internal diameter suchthat markers received therein will be retained in stacked relation, anexternally downwardly tapered, split spring collet formed upon the lowerend portion of the tube, the lower end of the collet having an internalrecess of greater diameter than the marker and of a height substantiallythe thickness of one marker, a sleeve longitudinally slidably mountedupon the tube and having an internal downwardly tapered lower endportion receiving the tapered collet portion of the tube, and meansnormally holding the sleeve in raised position to clamp the lowermostmarker in the collet portion.

2, A device of the character described comprising a tubular containerfor markers, said tubular container having an internal diameter suchthat markers received therein will be retained in stacked relation, anexternally downwardly tapered, split spring collet formed upon the lowerend portion of the tube, the lower end of the collet having an internalrecess of greater diameter thanY the marker and of a heightsubstantially the thickness of one marker, a sleeve longitudinallyslidably mounted upon the tube and having an internal downwardly taperedlower end portion receiving the tapered collet portion of the tube, andspring means normally holding the sleeve in raised position to clamp thelowermost marker in the collet portion.

3. A device of the character described comprising a tubular containerfor markers, said tubular container having an internal diameter suchthat markers received therein will be retained in stacked relation, anexternally downwardly tapered, split spring collet formed upon the lowerend portion of the tube, the lower end of the collet having an internalrecess of greater dlameter than the marker and of a height substantiallythe thickness of one marker, a sleeve longitudinally slidably mountedupon the tube and having an internal downwardly tapered lower endportion receiving the tapered collet portion of the tube, and springmeans normally holding the sleeve in raised position to clamp thelowermost marker in the collet portion,

4. A device of the character described comprising a tubular containerfor markers, said tubular container having an internal diameter suchthat markers received therein will be retained in stacked relation, anexternally downwardly tapered, split spring collet formed upon the lowerend portion of the tube, the lower end of the collet having an internalrecess of greater diameter than the marker and of a height substantiallythe thickness of one marker, an annular rib upon the exterior of thetubular container above said collet, a sleeve longitudinally slidablymounted upon the tube and having an internal downwardly tapered lowerend portion receiving the tapered collet portion of the tube, aninternal shoulder at the upper end of the sleeve, a spring around thetubular container between the annular rib and the internal shouldernormally holding the sleeve in raised position to clamp the lowermostmarker in the collet portion.

SCOTT C. MCDONALD. FREDERICK A. RODY.

No references cited.

